What bugs make good pets for children?

[lexcat]

DD 7 has a real thing about bugs and alwayes making pets out of ones in the garden. Was thinking of getting her a pet of some sort and felt an incest would go down better then a hamster or gerbil.
I know stick incects and cockroachs are the common ones. I was also looking at millepieds. Or are their any spiders which would be suitable.
Anyone advice I would be greatful of.

a corn snake. We have one and she is great. The kids love holding her and find her really interesting (especially when she sheds her skin)

How easy is a corn snake to look after and what is the set up costs like.

TBH I'd prefer the hamster to the incest.

very easy, you need a heated tank, a water container (for the snake to drink and to lay in) and frozen mice (about 40p each, fed once a week)
A corn snake cost about £50-80 depending on where you go. a tank is about £80. you need a heatpad (about £10) and water pool (about £8)

how about stock insects or land snail?

Big article about them in yesterday's Times (which mbitg quickly flicked past... shudder)

Think they breed like mad Dartmoormama (it's all that incest ) there's someonew on our local freecycle who offers babies of each every few weeks!

The article is the times was what got me thinking.

Giant african land snails make good pets, don't take much looking after, inexpensive to feed and don't go too far if they escape!

The headlouse is a firm favourite with many small children.

Like the look of the land snail as dd loves snails. Anyone what the running cost of a heatmat I would think very low but realy don't know.

Not sure what the running cost of ours is but it's not that much.

Still thinking land snail (she's just found a snail in the garden and playing with it now).
We do have a plastic fish tank but is that any good in the winter when I'll need a heatmat.

hello lexcat,
im hennipennis daughter and i have 3 giant african land snails
to answer your question, fish tanks are ideal as long as they are a reasonable size and will be fine with the heat mats as i have kept mine in them before
i actualy keep mine in a garden propergater baought from homebase and they LOVE it!
if you have anymore questions about them then check out these cool sites that i know:

1. www.petsnails.com
2. www.petsnails.proboards3.com
3. www.thesnailtrail.co.uk

if you have anymore questions you can either ask my mum or on number 2 of above get in touch with katie

i think that having a african snail would be good cuz they are amusing, educational and they even get moody witch is funny to watch!
hope this helps